Improved process for improving the color of molasses



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE;

, JOHN VON FBOHM, 0-F1 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

IIMPRQVED PROCESS FOR IMPROVING THECOLOR O'F Mot-Asses;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 46,431, dated February 14,1865.

To allwhom it may ooacem:

Be it known that ,1, JOHN voN B61111, of Melbourne, in the Province of Victoria and Colony of Australia,ha\fe invented a new and Improved Process of Improving the-Oolor and' Flavor of Molasses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'aud exact description of the same.

The object of my invention is to'impro'vo the color of molasses, and to extract. from it'theunpleasant flavor which resnl ts from filtration through animal charcoal or from othercauses;

and my invention is based upon the discovery which.[ have made that this maybe effected by the agency of tannin. v

'. 'To enable others to use my invention, [will proceedto describe the mode-in which I have practiced it with entire succcss.- j

I first dilute the molasses with water, generally with an equal yolume thereofl I then add so much of a saturated infusion of-nutgalls as will change the colorto a very dark brown, generally-about the same quantity as that of'the water with which I first diluted the molasses,'and stir-till the whole is well mixed. I afterward add and stir into the mixture sulphuricacidot' 'theordinarycommercialstreng th until the mixture is of a palestraw color. 7 The quantityotisulphjuricjicidrequired-m norities. 'tliiseflectsfill generally be about half an ounce vfor'every pound of molasses. I next add and stir-into the mixture as much'carhoniiterot'f' y humor otueralkali as is. necessary to almost:- entirely neutralize the acidpso vthat litmus paper will showvsonrcehyany reaction." llies lusses.

filter the mixture through felt or other ical filtering material, and evaporate by heat to the required density, and the filtered product thus obtained is molasses of a. fine color 1 and entirely free froinany objectionable taste.

In. neutralizing the acid care must he-taken not "to use an excess of alkalhbut rathernot to cflect an absolutely perfect neutralization,

for an excess of alkali would impair the-color of the molasses, hut'an excess of-i'ree acid would bedriven off by 'the's'ubsequent evapora tion.

Itwill be-ob'vious to thelchemist or skilled sugar-refiner that tannin in anytoth'er form than that'which I have hereinaborespecified maybe used in carrying out my process.

I will remark that the'quau'tities.otf tauniu end of sulphuricacid necessary to'etfect' the desired result will vary-with the impurity of.

the molasses, and the exact quantities .can only be determined by taking a small quantity of the molasses to be purified and trying thoprocess in glass ojr-other vessels. The quantities which I have lxereinabmegiren will generally.

What! claim as my iuveution,a nd desire to secure by Letters Patent, is+- Lillie employment of tannin. substantially as herein described. in the purification ot' mej on. JOHN vos 'BOHM.

Witnesses:

HENRY 1. BROWN, J. \V. 00mins. 

